IANS/Chennai
An assembly by-election that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa must win to remain in office ended yesterday evening with tens of thousands voting.
Polling in the Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief is pitted against Communist Party of India’s C Mahendran ended at 5pm with some 74.4% of the around 250,000 electorate exercising their franchise.
According to an Election Commission statement the polling percentage was higher this time compared to the 2011 assembly elections when it was 72.72.
While there were 28 candidates in the race this time, only CPI’s Mahendran is being viewed as a serious opponent. Jayalalithaa is widely expected to win.
The others are independents and candidates from smaller parties including social activist K R Ramaswamy, popularly known as “Traffic Ramaswamy”.
Polling was brisk and peaceful throughout the day since it started at 8am.
Men and women voters turned out in large numbers. Schools and colleges in the constituency were closed yesterday. Votes will be counted on June 30.
Opposition parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) stayed away from the contest.
Mahendran was the joint candidate of the CPI and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
The Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency fell vacant after AIADMK’s P Vetrival resigned from to facilitate Jayalalithaa’s re-election to the assembly.
Jayalalithaa, elected from Srirangam in 2011, lost that seat and the chief minister’s post after a court in Bengaluru convicted her in the disproportionate assets case.
The Karnataka High Court later acquitted her. Jayalalithaa was again sworn in as chief minister, but she has to get elected to the assembly within six months.
The Karnataka government has challenged her acquittal in the Supreme Court.
The Election Commission has introduced an E-Netra system (Election Novel Electronic Tracking and Rapid Action System) in the constituency to observe the model code of conduct, monitor the expenditure by candidates, and redress complaints through a single window.
For the first time in India, the poll panel introduced Electors Assistance System (EASY). Under this, voters in Radhakrishnan Nagar can get all election details. This facility is available through e-mail, SMS and E-Netra MobileApp.
Jayalalithaa
